ABCDs of First Aid - Airway, Breathing, Compression and Defibrillator
One of the basic skills that every person should have is CPR and first aid training that can help someone in case of emergency. Imagine how beneficial it would be to know how to perform first aid or being aware of what is a CPR procedure when put in an emergency situation. While it is always best to enrol yourself in professional first aid training, this ABCD First Aid guide we have curated for you can help you get an understanding of what all first aid entails. Let’s begin with the basics:
If you ever have to face an emergency, you must keep in mind some important things while you offer first aid to the victim. These are often considered the "ABCs" of first aid.
First aid is the initial treatment provided to somebody who is severely ill or wounded before the arrival of emergency medical services (EMS). An individual's life can be saved in an emergency by providing first aid immediately. Attempting to learn basic first aid skills might help you deal with a medical emergency.
It is a combination of ABCD first aid plus a DRS responde guide. DRSABCD is an abbreviation for -
Danger: Always take into account the threat to yourself, any onlookers, and the wounded or unwell individual. When going to someone's aid, be sure you are not putting yourself at risk.
Response: You must check if the person is in a conscious state or if they are responding to you by talking, touching their hands or squeezing their shoulder.
Send for help: You can call 112 the emergency helpline number and remember to answer each of the operator’s questions properly.
Airway: You must check if the person is breathing or if their airway is clear. If the individual is responsive, awake, and their airways are clear, find out exactly how you will assist them with any injuries they may have. However, if the person is unconscious and not responding, you must check their airway. You can do this by opening their mouth and looking inside it to check for content. This is important because if the person’s airway is blocked, it can become difficult for them to breathe properly.
Breathing: The oxygen needed for life is delivered to the body through breathing. This is why it is critical to assess whether or not the individual is breathing. Follow these steps to determine if an individual is breathing properly:
CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
Continue with the 30 compressions and two breaths at a rate of around five repetitions every two minutes until you hand over to the ambulance officials.
CPR procedure for kids under the age of eight and newborns is quite similar, and you may acquire these techniques in first aid CPR training.
The first aid kit
In addition to understanding some basic first aid methods, it is critical that homes and offices have a first aid kit that suits their needs, is very well organised, well stocked, and easily accessible. Based on the setting, the components should be acceptable for dealing with a variety of emergency cases. It's a beneficial practice to keep a variety of kits on hand in various locations, such as the house, car, or office.
Make use of bandages during first aid
You must not consider this important piece of information as a substitute for proper first aid training We advise you to:
Make sure that the injured individual is lying down or maybe sitting down.
Make sure that you are on the injured side of the individual.
Provide support to their injured body part before using a bandage
As you bandage the leg, be sure that each round overlaps the one before it.
Put it another way, by wrapping the bandage in a "figure eight" pattern.
You must make sure that you don’t wrap the bandage too tight as it may reduce the blood flow.
You may use the Hansaplast Cotton Crepe Bandage over the injured body part.
After you are done wrapping the bandage, an arm sling may be required to lift the injured forearm and reduce its movement.
You may arrange the individual’s arm into a "V" by bending the elbow such that the hand rests near the hollow where the shoulder meets the collarbone.
Create a hammock-like wrap over the injured arm by gently gathering the material at the elbow and drawing it tight without removing the bandage from the injured arm.
Make a long spiral by twisting the material, bringing it around and up the back of the person.
At the individual's fingertips, tightly knot the two ends securely. First aid for someone unconscious
Kneel next to them on the ground.
Place their nearest arm at a 90-degree angle to their body, along with their palm facing upwards.
To place their hand under the cheek that is closest to you, they must bend their opposite arm.
For stages 4 and 5, keep it in position.
With your spare hand, bend their distal knee at a straight angle such that it lays level on the floor.
Turn them onto their side and towards you by gently pulling on their bent knee.Check if the hand on their bent arm has still been supporting their head.
Tilt their head slightly to the back and raise their chin to gently open their airway.
Examine their airway to see if anything is obstructing it.
First aid for a person choking
To ensure that the individual is breathing normally, it is important to maintain a clear airway. You may have to roll the injured person on their side. However, in some cases, such as an accident, spinal injury is always considered a possibility. There are techniques for positioning an accident victim on their side such that their spine moves as little as possible. CPR and first aid training may teach you these abilities.
When should you call the ambulance?
You must call 108 (Emergency Medical Response Ambulance Service) in situations like:
Stroke
Breathing problems
Heart attack
Heavy bleeding
Severe burns
Seizures
Suspected poisoning